Department for Transport

Publication of 2020-21 Annual Accounts for the Dartford – Thurrock Crossing

Trudy Harrison: My Noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport (Baroness Vere of Norbiton) has made the following Ministerial StatementUnder regulation 3 (1) (d) of the Trunk Road Charging Schemes (Bridges and Tunnels) (Keeping of Accounts) (England) Regulations 2003, annual accounts for the Dartford – Thurrock Crossing Charging Scheme are published today. The accounts relate to financial year 2020-2021 and will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Scotland Office

Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2020 and Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2022

Iain Stewart: I wish to update the House on the Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2020 and Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2022.The government consulted within the House and this statement is to ensure that the House is aware of the circumstances of the Order's approval, and to set out the UK Government's approach in bringing forward the Order.The Order was laid on 16 November and considered by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments. The motion for approval was agreed at the end of the day’s business on 5 January 2022, having been tabled to the Order Paper just before the rise of the House for the Christmas recess.Due to an administrative error in the orders tabled by the Government, which was not picked up by the House of Commons authorities, the Order was listed for decision under Standing Order No. 118(6) even though the previously planned Delegated Legislation Committee debate had been postponed until early 2022. The Order therefore appeared on the Order Paper ahead of its debate in Committee, and was agreed by the House without objection on Wednesday 5 January. The debate in the House of Lords took place as normal on 14 December 2021.The Secretary of State for Scotland is due to make this Order next week.The OrderThe aim of this Order is to make consequential amendments to legislation in view of the Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2020. This legislation was brought forward by the Scottish Government and introduces opposite sex civil partnerships to Scotland. The changes made through the Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2020 reflect that civil partnerships in Scotland are no longer just an option for same sex relationships and they are now open for opposite sex relationships too.The Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2020 and Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2022 amends the Equality Act 2010 to add further protection for individuals, such as religious and belief celebrants, who do not wish to take part in the registration of mixed sex civil partnership. The Gender Recognition Act 2004 is also amended to reflect that because opposite sex civil partnership is now recognised, it is possible for civil partners to apply for gender recognition and stay in the civil partnership.The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 is also amended to ensure equal treatment for children of marriages, and children of civil partnerships, in cases of assisted reproduction. The Order also makes changes to legislation concerning the registration overseas, through UK consular officials and armed forces, of marriages and civil partnerships.The Order is made under the Scotland Act 1998, and extends across the United Kingdom, although some provisions only extend to certain parts of the UK. It demonstrates devolution in action, and the UK Government is pleased to support the Scottish Government introduce opposite sex civil partnerships to Scotland.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

NATO Parliamentary Assembly

James Cleverly: The hon. Member for Gosport (Dame Caroline Dinenage) has replaced the hon. Member for South Derbyshire (Heather Wheeler) as a Member of the United Kingdom delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

Northern Ireland Office

The Fourth Report on the Use of the Petition of Concern Mechanism in the Northern Ireland  Assembly

Brandon Lewis: I am today laying before both Houses of Parliament the fourth report by the UK Government on the use of the Petition of Concern mechanism in the Northern Ireland Assembly.As part of the New Decade, New Approach deal upon which devolved government was restored in Northern Ireland on 11 January 2020, the UK Government committed to undertaking such a report every six months.This report covers the period from 12 July 2021 to 11 January 2022 during which no Petition of Concern has been lodged against any motion in the Assembly.The fact that there have been no uses of the Petitions of Concern since the restoration of the political institutions is a positive reflection of the conduct of business within the Assembly. However, I want to take this opportunity to reinforce the importance of a stable, mature, functioning Executive and Assembly that is focussed on addressing the issues that really matter to their daily lives.The UK Government is standing by its commitment to bring forward legislation that provides the necessary reforms to the Petition of Concern mechanism. The Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Bill has completed Report Stage in the House of Lords. Once this legislation has completed its passage through Parliament and received Royal Assent, it is crucial that the Assembly reflects the detail of these reforms in its standing orders to ensure the full implementation of these aspects of the New Decade, New Approach deal.This is the final report of this Assembly mandate under the UK Government’s commitment to report on the use of the Petition of Concern. As there have been no uses of the Petition of Concern mechanism since the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly, we conclude that no further reform is necessary at this time.

Treasury

Public Service Pension Scheme Indexation and Revaluation 2022

Mr Simon Clarke: Public service pensions continue to be among the very best available. This technical update sets out the rates of indexation and revaluation that will be applied to public service pensions in April 2022.Legislation governing public service pensions requires them to be increased annually by the same percentage as additional pensions (State Earnings Related Pension and State Second Pension). Public service pensions will therefore be increased from 11 April 2022 by 3.1 per cent, in line with the annual increase in the Consumer Prices Index up to September 2021, except for those public service pensions which have been in payment for less than a year, which will receive a pro-rata increase. This will ensure that public service pensions take account of increases in the cost of living and their purchasing power is maintained.Separately, in the career average revalued earnings public service pension schemes introduced in 2014 and 2015, pensions in accrual are revalued annually in relation to either prices or earnings depending on the terms specified in their scheme regulations. The Public Service Pensions Act 2013 requires the Treasury to specify a measure of prices and of earnings to be used for revaluation by these schemes.The prices measure is the Consumer Prices Index up to September 2021. Public service schemes which rely on a measure of prices, therefore, will use the figure of 3.1 per cent for the prices element of revaluation.The earnings measure is the Whole Economy year on year change in Average Weekly Earnings (non-seasonally adjusted and including bonuses and arrears) up to September 2021. Public service schemes which rely on a measure of earnings, therefore, will use the figure of 4.1 per cent for the earnings element of revaluation.Revaluation is one part of the amount of pension that members earn in a year and needs to be considered in conjunction with the amount of in-year accrual. Typically, schemes with lower revaluation will have faster accrual and therefore members will earn more pension per year. The following list shows how the main public service schemes will be affected by revaluation:SchemePoliceFirefightersCivil ServiceNHSTeachersLGPSArmed ForcesJudicialRevaluation for active member4.35%4.1%3.1%4.6%4.7%3.1%4.1%3.1%